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Iowa State University
Admission at Iowa State University is close to open (88.7%), which shifts the homework to outcomes: check the $63,386 median earnings below before the application.
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Iowa State University sits in Ames proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Engineering, where graduates median $105,753 four years out. 18.8% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 25,367 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 87.6% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1110 and 1350 — above the IA middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Iowa State University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Iowa State University received 22,995 applications and admitted 20,496 (89.1%), with 5,859 enrolling.
Iowa State University is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1110–1350 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Iowa State University's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 550 | 620 | 660 |
| SAT Math | 560 | 620 | 690 |
| ACT Composite | 21 | 24 | 28 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Iowa State University compares
| Iowa State University | Iowa median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 88.7% | 80.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $10,787 | $36,684 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $63,386 | $55,396 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors Iowa State University: $63,386 median at year ten, versus $55,396 across Iowa institutions.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $10,787 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $28,881. For non-residents, Iowa State University's $28,881 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
Iowa State University is a big school: 25,367 undergraduates at last count.
75.3% of Iowa State University students finish a bachelor's within six years — 20.5 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $10,787 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Iowa State University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $105,753 |
| Computer Science | $104,211 |
| Construction Engineering | $100,676 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $99,705 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $94,089 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $93,379 |
| Industrial Engineering | $92,914 |
| Chemical Engineering | $92,773 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $88,576 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $87,413 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,938 |
| Civil Engineering | $85,427 |
| Materials Engineering | $83,416 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $83,267 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $82,548 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | $78,890 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $78,304 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $75,360 |
| Economics | $75,355 |
| Statistics | $72,581 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $70,706 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $69,673 |
| Architecture | $69,310 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $67,529 |
| Chemistry | $66,486 |
| Marketing | $66,482 |
| Food Science and Technology | $65,943 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $65,204 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $63,026 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $62,965 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | $62,341 |
| Mathematics | $62,261 |
| Area Studies | $61,860 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $61,697 |
| Landscape Architecture | $61,364 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | $61,173 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $61,166 |
| Plant Sciences | $60,997 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $60,349 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $60,059 |
| Political Science and Government | $57,752 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $57,110 |
| International Agriculture | $56,405 |
| Sociology | $55,714 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $55,491 |
| Genetics | $55,037 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $54,889 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | $54,391 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $54,064 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $53,933 |
| Journalism | $53,633 |
| Biology, General | $53,447 |
| History | $52,934 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | $52,786 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $52,671 |
| Forestry | $52,650 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $52,622 |
| Animal Sciences | $51,644 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | $51,531 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $51,387 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $49,875 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $49,626 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | $49,493 |
| Psychology, General | $49,286 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $47,462 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $46,253 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $44,892 |
| Anthropology | $43,443 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $40,726 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | $39,403 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $39,143 |
Median earnings for these 71 Iowa State University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $63,386 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 22 additional Iowa State University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Iowa State University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1110–1350 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 88.7% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Iowa State University's acceptance rate?
89.1% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 20,496 admitted from 22,995 applicants.
How much does Iowa State University cost?
In-state tuition is $10,787; out-of-state students pay $28,881. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do Iowa State University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $63,386 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Iowa
- Loras College — 99.9% admitted
- Grand View University — 99.1% admitted
- Maharishi International University — 95.7% admitted
- University of Dubuque — 88.6% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.